Overview of the City of Perth:
Perth is the capital of the Australian state of Western Australia and also the largest city of the state. Perth is one of the isolated cities in the world. The closest city to Perth is Adelaide.
Perth is flanked by the Swan River to the south and east, Kings Park to the west and the railway reserve to the north. The central city as well as most of its suburbs is located on the sandy and relatively flat Swan Coastal Plain. Soil of this area is mostly infertile coupled with deep bedrock. This city sports two major river systems namely, the Swan and Canny Rivers and the Serpentine and Murray Rivers.
As far as the climate is concerned, Perth has a moderate, but highly seasonal rainfall. This is the fourth wettest capital city in Australia. February is the hottest month in Perth, with summers lasting from December to end of March. Summers in the city are hot and dry. On the other hand, winters in Perth are mild and wet. On an overall level, this sunny city sports a Mediterranean climate. Of late, rainfall has become an uncommon phenomenon during winters in this city. Most of the extreme rainfall events are witnessed during summers in Perth.
Perth is the fourth populous city in Australia. Most of the people residing in this city are Protestants, predominantly Anglican. This is followed by Roman Catholics. A certain section of people living in Perth practice Buddhism and Islam. One out of every 5 people in this city does not follow any religion at all.
Twenty Eight digital free to air television channels are operative in Perth. Two important newspapers circulated in this city include The West Australian and The Sunday Times. Radio stations in this city operate on the AM, FM and DAB+ frequencies. The online news media platform is also very active in Perth, thanks to providers such as TheWest.com.au, Perth Now, WAToday and TweetPerth.
A large number of annual events are held in Perth. A couple of Art festivals namely the Winter Arts festival, Perth Fringe Festival, Perth Writers Festival and of course the largest Perth International Arts Festival are all held in Perth. A great deal of local and international comedic talent is seen coming to light every year at the Perth International Comedy Festival. Certain music festivals such as Future Music, Stereosonic and Soundwave are held in Perth.
The climate of Perth is such that it has given a lot of boost to outdoor sporting activities. The most famous spectator sport in this city is the Australian Rules football. The two Australian football league teams, which enjoy a massive fan following all over the world, namely, the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Football Club, are based in Perth. Other sports played in Perth include, cricket, rugby union, basketball and association football. Perth is known to host a number of state and international sporting events.
3 Pillars of Perth – Governance, Education & Transport
The Parliament of Western Australia as well as Governor of Western Australia is based in Perth. The state’s highest court that is the Supreme Court is situated in Perth. Similarly, District and Family Courts are also based in this city.
The field of education garners a good deal of attention in the city of Perth, making education mandatory in Western Australia for the age group six to seventeen. A number of institutions offering primary, secondary as well as tertiary education are located in Perth. Four public universities namely, the University of Western Australia, Curtin University, Murdoch University and the Edith Cowan University are situated in Perth.
There is another private University, the University of Notre Dame, which is also situated in Perth. Central Institute of Technology, Polytechnic West, West Coast Institute of Training and Challenger Institute of Technology, which are all colleges of TAFE based in Perth, offer trade and vocational training courses to aspirants. To the east of this city is the Perth Airport from where one can get regional, domestic and international flights. In the southern suburbs is the Jandakot Airport, available for general aviation and charter flights. The road network of this city comprises of three freeways and nine metropolitan highways. One prominent tunnel in the city is the Northbridge tunnel. Public transport in Perth comprises of buses, trains and ferries with 70 railway stations and 15 bus stations spread all over the city.
Places to Visit in Perth:
Rottnest Island: Get to experience crystal clear water coupled with scenic beauty by paying a visit to Rottnest Island. This island makes a perfect place for a one day picnic. Right from camping, snorkeling, bike ride around the island, lunch at a restaurant overlooking the waters as well as kids activities, you can get a taste of all of this at this island.
Kings Park: Kings Park is one of the largest inner city parks in Perth. Kings Park is home to the Western Australian Botanic Garden, where you can explore 3000 independent species of flora. This place is easily accessible, which is why, one can get here using either a private vehicle or any other public transportation mode at random.
Perth Zoo: A visit to the Perth Zoo makes an apt combination of education coupled with entertainment. Once at this zoo, you can take a walk through the lush gardens as well as better acquaint yourself with the local Australian wildlife. Similarly, you can explore the Asian Rainforest in order to have close encounters with elephants, tigers and sun bears. What’s more in store are the Eye to Eye encounters where you can get a chance to either feed giraffes or meet a Galapagos Tortoise.
Scitech: If you are looking forward to some interactive science experiences for your entire family, then Scitech is the place for you. Located in the heart of Perth, you can have a rendezvous with puppet shows, science performances, feature exhibitions, a CSIRO science lab, Australia’s largest planetarium and of course over one hundred hands on exhibits at this place.